In October of 2014, Emily Duffy a 3rd year student in Desmond College had her project “The Homeless Wrap” accepted for the 51st BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

In the last year Emily has featured on numerous TV and Radio programs with her project that offers a better quality of life to those who find themselves homeless. The project won student enterprise awards and Emily attended the BT Business Boot Camp in UCD last year, the project also featured on the Late Late Show.

12 months on, the “Homeless Wrap” has become the “Duffily Bag” and is currently being produced by the Mendicity Institution in Dublin. Mendicity train some of their service users to make the sleeping bags themselves.

They have had very positive feedback from Merchant’s Quay, a large homeless service institution in Dublin 8, who are using some of the “Duffily Bags” during the night café.

Service users assemble Emily Duffy’s “Duffily Bag” to be distributed to the homeless in Dublin.

The Mendicity Institution is one of Dublin’s oldest charities, established in 1818. During its life-span, it has always worked towards the relief of poverty in the city. As the social organisation of poverty altered, the Institution has had to adapt to meet the current needs of a changing clientele, it continues as a food centre providing free meals on a daily basis, including Sunday brunch.

Desmond College, Newcastle West Transition Year class follow in the steps of their predecessors and form new and exciting friendships with the service users in the Brothers of Charity Newcastle West.

The Transition Years are welcomed into the Charity to be immersed in the daily lives of the service users. They are taught how to help and respond to all the people they meet under the direction of Mike Sheahan and his colleagues.

The friendship between the school and Brothers of Charity has proven to have a positive effect on all involved. The Transition Years will have the opportunity to complete work experience and organise different events for their new friends.

The service users of the Brothers of Charity reap the rewards by having new and young faces around the centre, showing assistance in their activities. Friendships are formed and last for years.

The recent 5km fun run/walk was a huge success, it received much appreciated suuport from the community. The transition Year students raised a brilliant €1,100 for Console. Seen below are the Transition Year students presenting the cheque to Emer O Neil (Console Limerick Centre Manager).

As part of the Transition Year localised project each of the TY students carried out some work experience in the Brothers of Charity. They gained great experience and made life long friendships as a result of their work.